Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-03-03
/. DEER-HUNT IN ALASKA.
r.onble with Quarrelsome Dogs-Queef
Custom of the Natives


The ice being in good condition. with
.,rs and sleds laden with cooking pots
III few provisions. tent and deer
lin bedding, a start was made early IN
tbe morning. The thermometer mark
a IA degrees below zero and there was
:, lev blast from the north, so that it
~,ov he imagined that the weather was
son,ewhat cold. Smooth shore ice was
tonnd over which our sleds went rapid
n and at dusk 6 P. NJ the dogs
smelt the deer and tore frantically in
tbeir harness to get at them.
And here en- PEASANT may be permit
I'D to dwell upon the annoyances and
vexations that an Arctic traveller has to
undergo when using these dogs for sled
work. The most docile and mild-look-
inc animal is probably the worst of the
team. quarrelsome, snarling, and fight
inc whenever chance presents itself.
Far an hour or so the dogs will lie
0uietly, seemingly at peace with one an
other; then, as if by some sudden IN
spiration. one springs upon the other,
4 biting and tearing the legs, ears. and
those portions of the body unprotected
by hair, and n general melee ensues,
d only ceasing when heavy blows from
pieces of wood or tent-poles strike some
tender part. Then, too, at night, the
bowling in chorus-not a genuine howl,
but species of sharp. drawn-out walls
breaks upon the ear to the Imagina-
ton seeming like the wailing of a horde
Of lost spirits lamenting their bitter lot
| Still travel would be impossible during
the winter were it not for these dogs.
| So far as exhibiting attachment or re-
tanning any especial liking for an in
/ diyidual, these animals can not be said
/ to show the slightest trace They simply
| come to anyone who feeds them, acting
! perfectly Unfortunately.
1t was too late to start out hunting up
on our arrival, so after pitching the
! tent making a fire from driftwood to
boil our tea over-a process heightened
| BY ice having to be melted to obtain
| ater,-enjoying a smoke, and feeding
| the dogs with whale meat, we turned in
/ to sleep. We were all up bright and
! early at 10 a. m. After a breakfast of
tea and crackers, with the addition of
boiled beans heated in frying-pan
with snow, q start for the deer was eff
ieeted. The dogs were left in camp, the
most unruly being tied to heavy logs. |
may here mention for the benefit of
future Arctic travellers that one of the
best kinds of food TO take upon sled
journey is bag Of boiled beans. OF
course they become frozen solid, but
when chopped of, heated with snow or
ice in fryingpan, they furnish meal
which for staying qualities | do not
think can be eXcelled. Either oil or
/ lard, nottoo salt, can be added to the
beans when they are boiled, increasing
thereby their quality rs heat-giying food.
After IN hours walking we came to
fresh deer tracks. Arriving at the top
4 OF a small eminence we saw the herd
feeding digging with their forefeet
Through the snow in order to reach the
covered moss and lichens. There must
have been at least two hundred deer in
the herd, big bucks with widespread
|ing antlers, females and males Of ali
|Szes, and here and there yearlng
|tawn. Crawling over the snow, creep
ing along inch by inch until within
L AiENt 10 iAN OiA11 iitliiiACl W 1tb Il SllOb
+ 4, the animals. The country affords no
cover, and the slightest object bearing
the semblance Of anything strange
Seems to attract the attention of the
/ deer in moment In order TO guard
somewhat against this matter white
drilling overshirts are worn when out
Hunting.
At a range of over two hundred yards
one of the natives fired, bis bullet from
a Hotchkiss rifle striking the deer, bio
buck, over the forequarter, causing him
to rear and jump into the air with
bound and then fall dead. The rest OF
the herd, seeing one of their number
/ fall, scattered in wide circle, shifting
the air and peering around for the cause
lot its sudden dismemberment. They,
however, resumed feeding in shor4
time, until three shots, fired simultan
eOusy, laid two more of their number
\ flow, while q fourth broke the leg of a
EYoung fawn. who hobbled along after
Us mother for some distance, until a
maj shot put an end TO its troubles.
-Four deer had fallen before our guns,
i ana ill natives proceeded to remove
The SKINS from the head and feet piling
snow over the carcasses to hide them
rom the other deer, which otherwise !
! laey think would be scared away from
lae country. It is the belief among
Aese natives that deer shot one day |
must not be brought into camp until the |
i9aov.ng morning Our submission to
.lis custom cost us the carcass of one |
ahinla' which was eaten by foxes dur
ing the night
Next morning heavy snow-mist to |
,aud"ard prevented our going deer |
hunting. To seaward the sky was clear.
= Jlal rather than stay in camp all day |
some OIL us went seal-hunt.ng, the one |
woman, woman OF our party, with her husband,
,'A.hg me Sled and dogs to bring in the
~. s.oi on the previous day.-Saa
francisco Chronicle.